Captioning and Subtitling Services

Posts tagged ‘subtitles’

As we usher in a new year, CompuScripts Captioning would like to update our closed captioning clients on changes in regulations regarding Internet video. Internet video programming distributors should already be acquainted with The Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010, or CVAA. First implemented in 2012, the CVAA mandates the captions of most Internet video programming. Compliance with the CVAA is monitored by the Federal Communications Commission.

Since March 2012, prerecorded, unedited video programs has required captions when shown for the first time on the Internet. Live programming, near-live programming, and prerecorded, edited programming has required Internet captions since 2013.

In 2014, video programming distributors had 45 days to caption for the Internet previously televised captioned programming. Beginning March 30, 2015, that deadline shrinks to 30 days; for example, a captioned program that is televised on March 30, 2015, must appear with closed captions when shown on the Internet by April 29, 2015. Beginning in 2016, a captioned televised program must appear with captions when shown on the Internet within 15 days to remain compliant.

New Year Mandates

CompuScripts Captioning has been working with our clients to ensure compliance with the CVAA since
its implementation in 2012. Previous blogs have addressed Internet captioning regulations andFCC deadline changes, and future blogs will address changes in the required quality of captions. In addition to Internet video, CompuScripts Captioning offers closed captioning and subtitling services for broadcast and DVD media. Our services are customized for your particular workflow and deliverables, as well as your budget. For assistance on how all of your video programming might meet FCC compliance deadlines, or to request a quote, contact our Caption Coordinator, Stacey Wilson, at swilson@compuscripts.com or 1.888.849.9698.

Books make great holiday gifts for kids, and numerous reports link leisure reading to increased vocabulary, school success, and heightened empathy. But when you’re shopping for a child who is deaf or hard of hearing, what are the best choices?

Kids like reading about characters whom they resemble, and in their diversity statement, the Children’s Book Council states, “All children deserve to see themselves in story.” So with that in mind, we’d like to introduce you to books which feature deaf or hard-of-hearing characters in primary roles. And since everyone loves a good story, consider these for the hearing children on your list as well!

El Deafo, by Cece Bell. This graphic memoir tells the story of a profoundly deaf child whose new hearing aid makes her feel like a superhero, hence the book’s title. Kirkus Review calls this “a humorous and touching graphic memoir about finding friendship and growing up deaf.” Ages 8 and up.

Leading Ladies, by Marlee Matlin and Doog Cooney. This book, number three in the “Deaf Child Crossing” series, tells the story of Megan Merrill, a deaf fourth-grader who is auditioning for the part of Dorothy in a musical version of The Wizard of Oz. Will she get the part, or will it go to her best friend, Julie? Kirkus Review says, “This rare glimpse into the life of a child growing up deaf is an invaluable contribution to juvenile fiction.” Ages 8-10.

Silence in the Wild: A Summer in Maine, by Dale C. Jellison. Jake Graham, a deaf boy of twelve, is adjusting to his first summer at camp when he finds himself alone in the wilderness without benefit of hearing aids. This coming of age story, published in 2014, is not yet reviewed. Ages 11-13.

The Flying Fingers Club Mystery Series, by Jean F. Andrews. Matt, who is deaf, teaches his friend Donald to sign, and together they form the “Flying Fingers” club to solve mysteries. Titles include “The Flying Fingers Club,” “Secret in the Dorm Attic,” and “Mystery of the Totems.” Booklist says, “The underlying theme, that two boys can have a close friendship regardless of one having a disability, comes through as Donald learns sign language and paves the way for other classmates to befriend hearing-impaired Matt.” Ages 8-11

To spread additional cheer amongst deaf and hard-of-hearing children, visit the web site of the Described and Captioned Media Program for their holiday list of accessible media. Titles include “The Gift of the Magi,” “Seven Candles for Kwanzaa,” and “In the Month of Kislev.”

CompuScripts Captioning offers effective communication to assist you with compliance of the Americans with Disabilities Act by offering closed captioning and subtitling services to public and private venues. CompuScripts Captioning is endorsed by theDescribed and Captioned Media Program, which is administered by the National Association of the Deaf and funded by the U. S. Department of Education. Achieving DCMP “Approved Captioning ServiceVendor”status is a prestigious honor in the captioning industry. Of those who participate in the rigorous evaluation process to acquire Approved Vendor status, only half actually earn the distinction. CompuScripts Captioning also enjoys the distinction of being a YouTube Ready captioning vendor through DCMP.

On February 20, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission set new rules addressing the quality of closed captions on broadcast television. These rules cite standards of accuracy, synchronicity, and placement, and they aim to ensure that the experience of deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers is in approximation with that of hearing viewers. So today, CompuScripts Captioning would like to introduce you to postproduction pop-on captioning, the choice that offers your viewers the highest-quality closed captions available.

What sets apart postproduction pop-on captioning from quick-turnaround roll-up or realtime captioning is the amount of time that is spent on your video. For postproduction pop-on captioning, your video will be viewed by a CompuScripts captioner multiple times for transcription, captioning and editing, and quality control. During this process, postproduction pop-on captions are labeled with speaker identification and may be placed at any position onscreen so that your viewer always understands who’s speaking. Postproduction pop-on captions are time-coded with speaker synchronization to within 15 frames. And if you choose the U.S. Department of Education standards, the captions are further edited, according to the targeted viewers’ age range and the nature of the content, to accommodate retention and comprehension of the information being relayed in the video in compliance with the Described and Captioned Media Program.

Is your production heavy with specific vocabulary or terms of art? When choosing postproduction pop-on captions, we have the time to make sure that if a speaker references “the Cote d’Ivoire Baule blolo bla,” the phrase is properly spelled. While researching content, we’ve chatted with everyone from a renowned linguist in Australia to a famous country musician in Tennessee!

Speaking of music, if your video features instrumental songs, postproduction pop-on captions note the titles. If the song features vocals, postproduction pop-on captions display the lyrics. Postproduction pop-on captions also allow for important sound descriptions: Artillery “booms.” Schoolchildren “giggle.” Everyone knows that birds sing, but if a red-billed streamertail is calling onscreen, the postproduction pop-on caption will read, ting-ting-ting, tee-tee-tee.

Video programmers should know that no matter what captioning style they choose, CompuScripts Captioning will deliver a quality product. But for the best captioning available, contact us to learn more about postproduction pop-on captions.